A Lazy Afternoon

We haven't had a lazy afternoon at home with a bottle of wine in months. And boy was it good to be lazy on Monday afternoon! I was off fairly early, Ann was home early, we were both tired from our long hike on Sunday, and we just needed a break.

I had already brought home a goat cheese from Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Co over in Boyds MD (near where I used to live in Germantown) on Saturday. Ann asked me to bring wine, bread, and some salame. I grabbed a bottle of the fabulous 2013 Gary Farrell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir from Costco on the way home. 2013, a cooler vintage in California, turned out some phenomenal wines and this is no exception.

Pinot, Salame, Focaccia, and Goat Cheese

Our figs are just starting to ripen in quantity. Although we have a huge crop of figs, none were ripening and I was worried that we wouldn't get them in before frost in another 4 weeks. So about three weeks ago, I cut the tops out of each of the major branches to stop vertical growth and to focus the bush on ripening its fruit. It appears to have worked well. These figs fresh off the bush are so much better than the fresh figs that have been coming in from California. They have an almost peach undertone that is fabulous. A fig bush in our climate here in northernmost Virginia is quite a luxury. I planted the 7-year old bush five years ago and we are just now reaping the reward for our patience.

Ann Brought in Some Figs From the Garden

What to do while lounging around noshing on cheese, salame, and figs all while drinking remarkable Pinot Noir? Why, play old school Battleship, of course! Ann kicked my butt two games to zero, payback for the last time I beat her 2-0.

I Lost 0-2. Boo.

I went on to make udon with chicken, ginger, pickled stem mustard, shiitakes, and snow peas later for dinner. What a great way to end our lazy afternoon than with a great soup!